


Snowbound

by Aglarien



Category: The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-13
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-09 02:08:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,102
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4329723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aglarien/pseuds/Aglarien
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Glorfindel and a wounded Erestor are caught in a snowstorm on their way home from Mirkwood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Title: Snowbound 1/5  
Author: Aglarien  
Type: FCS  
Characters: Erestor/Glorfindel  
Rating: NC-17  
Beta: phyncke  
Warning: None  
Disclaimer: I do not own the Lord of the Rings (and associated) book series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. The great Master Tolkien’s estate owns everything else. I promise to return his elves when I’m done playing with them.   
Author’s Note: For Chloe Amethyst, who gave me the plot bunny.  
Summary: Glorfindel and a wounded Erestor are caught in a snowstorm on their way home from Mirkwood.

*****

Chapter 1

They managed to make it over the highest passes of the Misty Mountains before the full force of the snowstorm hit. Winter had come unexpectedly early to the mountains. "Erestor, we must keep going," Glorfindel yelled over the brutal wind, barely heard by his companion, even though they rode closely side-by-side. "Can you make it until we find shelter?" 

Erestor nodded, his face nearly invisible between the folds of the cloak hood pulled up over his head. 

Glorfindel grimaced at the counselor's wounded thigh. Blood seeped through the bandages they had hastily tied around it to staunch the bleeding, and if Glorfindel hadn't already known the blade had been poisoned, the sweat pouring off Erestor's face in the bitter cold told him so. Returning from a diplomatic mission in Mirkwood, the two had encountered a small band of Orcs. They had defeated the foul creatures, but Erestor had been wounded in the process. Two elves, traveling without escort and not knowing how many more Orcs might be in the general area, they were forced to continue their journey quickly, hardly taking time for the scantiest measures to aid Erestor. The early snowstorm rolled in before they knew it.

"There is one of our border patrol cabins near. We should be able to reach it in a few hours. Hold on, Erestor. Just hold on." There was no way they could even stop in this storm for him to locate more healing herbs in his pack or rebandage the wound. It was bitterly cold and the wind would tear anything out of his hands. It was better to just keep moving. He said a silent prayer to any and all the Valar who might be listening to keep from getting lost in the blinding snow. 

Two hours later, Erestor swayed in his saddle, scarcely maintaining his hold on his horse. Glorfindel franticly stopped their mounts. Reaching for Erestor, he pulled the counselor to sit in front of him on Asfaloth. The captain quickly tied the reins of Erestor’s mount to his saddle, fearful that the riderless horse would be lost in the violent storm. He wrapped his arms around Erestor, making sure his friend was secure, and tucked both of their cloaks around the counselor to keep him as warm as possible. Holding tightly onto the injured elf, they slowly rode on. Glorfindel would not stop. It didn't matter if it was day or night; he couldn't see far in the blizzard anyway. He had to get Erestor to shelter.

The captain estimated it was some time in the evening when he finally spotted the cabin, already half buried in the snow. Erestor had lost consciousness just after he was moved onto Asfaloth, and Glorfindel breathed a prayer of relief and thanksgiving at the sight of the building. With any luck, the cabin and its small attached stable would be stocked with supplies. At least it would give them shelter from the storm and allow him to take care of Erestor's wound.

When they finally reached the structure, he draped Erestor over the horse and dismounted, telling Asfaloth to be careful with his unconscious rider. The attached stable had been built up the slope of a hill where less snow was accumulating against its doors, falling instead to pile against the cabin entry. Hurriedly opening one of the large stable doors, he led the horses inside and pulled Erestor into his arms. "I will return soon,” he told the horses, “but I must take care of Erestor first." Asfaloth snorted in agreement as Erestor's black stallion nudged his master with his nose. "I will take care of him, Durion, I promise. I will return."

Glorfindel carried Erestor through a small door into the main room of the adjoining cabin. On one wall was a large fireplace, and a table and chairs filled the center of the room. Against the far wall was a bed, and thankfully blankets, with a small table beside it. On either side of the fireplace and along the other two walls were cupboards and chests that presumably held supplies. He laid Erestor on the bed, removing the counselor's nearly frozen cloak. The rest of the wounded elf’s clothing was cold and damp so it quickly went the way of the cloak after Glorfindel cut off what was left of the torn leggings. The bandage-wrapped wound he carefully cut around, leaving it undisturbed until he could deal with it properly. 

Anxiety crept its way into Glorfindel’s mind as he tucked the blankets securely around Erestor, trying to warm him as much as possible. There was just so much to do and he was only one elf. If anything happened to Erestor, he’d ever forgive himself. He quickly smothered that thought as he regained control of his emotions. Taking a deep breath, he considered the situation. Erestor had been wounded hours ago; a few more minutes would probably not make him any worse. He knew what he had to do: build a fire, melt snow for water, find the healing supplies, clean and bandage the wound, take care of the animals, and find food. He looked around the room and started searching for firewood. 

Centuries ago, Elrond had ordered a series of cabins built along the borders of Imladris for use by their patrols and travelers between the different realms. Occasionally they would find one occupied by homeless humans, who would subsequently be aided in joining a settlement of other Men. Gildor Inglorion’s wandering company would sometimes make use of a cabin if the weather was particularly inclement, leaving it more supplied with provisions than before they arrived. Twice a year, in early spring and late autumn, the cabins were restocked. 

There was always a chance that migrants or thieves had raided the cabin in between visits, but in the cupboards and chests he opened, Glorfindel found healing supplies, dried meat, dried fruits and vegetables, grains for porridge and breads, honey and herbs for tea, as well as a good supply of blankets, other linens, and clothing. Sending a silent thank you to the elves who had last stocked the cabin, he found a large store of chopped wood in an adjoining lean-to and soon had a fire blazing in the hearth. 

Snow was piled against the cabin door. If he opened the door, the frigid wind would only make Erestor colder, so after a worried look at the counselor, he hurried into the stable with a kettle and a large cooking pot from one of the cupboards. As he filled the large pot with freshly fallen snow at the stable door, he talked to the undoubtedly thirsty horses, promising them he would be back with water for them to drink. Although they had eaten snow during the day, it was not an adequate amount of liquid for them. His conscience pricked him at the state of the animals, but Asfaloth and Durion were large, sturdy, Imladris stallions and did not need to be coddled. He would be back with warmed water for them after he had taken care of Erestor. 

Returning to the cabin, he emptied some of the snow into a bowl for cleaning Erestor’s wound and placed the kettle and the pot on the large hooks over the fire. He left the bowl near the fire to melt the snow, and then gathered the healing supplies onto the table and discovered that the herbs in their packs in the stable were fresher. He knew how dangerous Orc poison was; treating Erestor’s wound would call upon all the healing skills he had learned from Elrond, so he opted for the fresher herbs.

Once he was back in the stable to retrieve their supplies, he unfastened the packs from the horses, quickly removing the animals' saddles and tossing the gear aside for the time being. He uncovered some hay for the horses and returned to the cabin.

The contents of his pack joined the rest of the healing supplies on the table, and Glorfindel carefully sorted out the herbs. There were herbs to make into a tea for fever, and herbs he needed to mash into a paste with hot water to draw the poison out from Erestor’s leg. He would use the same herbs in warm water to wash the counselor’s body, especially the wound. Then there were the herbs to dull pain and send him into a deep sleep; these last were to be doled out in very specific and minute quantities if they were not to cause harm or even death. 

The snow in the bowl had melted, so he added some hot water from the kettle and herbs to clean the wound. He placed the plants for fever in a cup with hot water to steep, and mashed the ones to draw out the poison into a paste with a mortar and pestle he’d found in one of the cabinets. The herbs for pain and to induce sleep he carefully set aside, laying them on the mantel, far away from the others. When everything was ready, he moved the bowls and cup to the stand next to the bed, along with his knife, fresh bandages, and strips of linen for cleaning the wound. 

Using his knife, he cut away the old bandage on Erestor's thigh, exposing the ugly wound: the jagged cut was deep and wide, extending half way around the limb. He dipped a cloth into the water with the herbs, and working as carefully as he could, cleansed the wound over and over, scrubbing it, replacing the used strips of linen with new ones, until all he could see was the raw, open wound and fresh bleeding. The wound had to be sewn closed; it would never heal on its own. The brutal cut was so large that any movement at all of the leg would reopen it up again without stitches. He watched the wound for long minutes looking for any sign of remaining poison and did not see any discoloration. 

Finally confident that there was no more poison in the wound itself, he prepared to stitch the wound closed to speed the healing. The herb paste that he would use with the bandaging would be an added precaution against infection. Any remaining poison Erestor would have to sweat out of his body. Retrieving a needle and thread from his pack, he carefully stitched the gaping cut closed, making an even line of fine knots, grateful his friend was still unconscious. He knew that Erestor would awake in considerable pain from the wound. If the wound itself wasn’t bad enough, all of the scraping and cleaning Glorfindel had done certainly was. Making a mental note to measure out the herbs for pain next and have them ready, he took the herb paste he had made and packed it on top of and around the wound. He finished by wrapping clean bandages around Erestor’s leg to bind it. 

Erestor burned with fever, so Glorfindel gently washed his friend's body with the barely warm, herb-laced water. He wanted Erestor to drink the tea he had made, but that was impossible until he woke. One of the wooden chests in the room contained warm nightshirts, which were kept in the cabin for the comfort of the injured or wounded. They were thicker than Erestor’s well-worn one, so Glorfindel fetched one, and as gently as possible, dressed Erestor in it and rewrapped him in warm blankets. All he could do now was watch the counselor carefully and make him as comfortable as he could. And wait. 

Glorfindel dumped the dirty water in the privy, which thankfully connected to the cabin through a small hallway, and used a bit of the now boiling water from the kettle to clean the bowl. Taking some cups down from a cupboard, he lined them up on the table and measured out doses of herbs for fever and speeding healing in several of them, and then filled a quarter of each cup with boiling water and a spoonful of honey. When Erestor woke, he would only need to add hot water to each cup for it to be ready for his friend to drink. Setting those cups aside, he prepared another set of cups with the same herbs for fever and healing, except to these he added carefully measured doses of herbs to relieve pain and induce sleep. After adding a quarter cup of boiling water and honey to these, he set them atop the mantle next to the dangerous herbs, and covered them with a cloth.

Looking around in the cupboards again, Glorfindel pulled out a smaller cooking pot and several thick towels to protect his hands, as well as some of the dried food supplies. He filled the smaller pot with some of the melting snow from the large pot, added dried meat and vegetables to make a broth, and hung it over the fire to cook. Carrying the large pot carefully with the towels, he returned to the stable and filled the horses' trough with the water left in the pot. After rubbing down Asfaloth and Durion and making sure they had enough hay and water, he refilled the large pot with snow and returned with it to the cabin. 

He set the pot of snow down by the fire, suddenly realizing how very exhausted he was. He had tended to Erestor and the animals, and their next meal was cooking over the fire. Anything more could wait until after he rested. He finally removed his own damp clothes, and laid them with their cloaks and Erestor’s shirt in front of the fire to dry. Taking another of the nightshirts from the chest, he slipped it on and wearily collapsed onto the bed next to Erestor, falling almost immediately into an exhausted sleep.

~~~*~~~

Glorfindel awoke the instant he heard Erestor's moan. The counselor was still unconscious and burning with fever. If he woke the wounded elf sufficiently to drink, the pain would keep him awake, so he rose and took one of the cups down from the mantle and added hot water to the now-cold brew of powerful herbs. Setting the cup down on the bed stand, he pulled his friend into a sitting position, holding him up with an arm wrapped around him. "Erestor, you must wake up now. Do you hear me? You must wake and drink this tea. Wake now."

Erestor mumbled something unintelligible as Glorfindel took the cup and raised it to his lips. "Drink, Erestor. You were wounded with a poisoned blade, my friend. You must drink." He kept talking and telling Erestor to wake, resisting the urge to shake him. Slowly, little by little, he managed to get most of the tea down the counselor. Setting the cup aside, he gently laid Erestor back down and tucked the blankets around him.

Erestor needed much more of the healing tea, aside from needing to drink a lot of fluids because of the fever and blood loss. Glorfindel would just have to wake him every hour or so to get more down him. He stirred the soup bubbling over the fire, and pulled a chair next to the bed to sit and wait. Erestor's sleep was now restless, and every now and again he would mumble something Glorfindel couldn't understand. Glorfindel prayed the herbs to ease his friend’s pain and help him sleep would take effect soon.

He would not lose Erestor. The two had been close friends for over two millennia, and he could not imagine his life without Erestor in it. Only Elrond really understood the relationship between his chief counselor and the captain of his guards. Most of the others saw only a sharp-tongued advisor and a warrior who was full of life, poking fun at each other and trying to slay each other with their words. Two tall elves, the blond a bit taller than the ebon-haired one, matched in wit and intelligence, one light and one dark. 

Few others even knew of the late nights they spent sitting in each other's company, sometimes talking or reading to each other, sometimes crouched over a game of chess, and sometimes simply sitting with the other in silence. Only Elrond knew of the hug Glorfindel would give the counselor when he left on patrol, and the hug Erestor always greeted the warrior with when he returned. In the beginning, Glorfindel had wondered if Erestor was attracted to him, but the counselor had never shown any interest beyond companionship, and so their relationship had grown into one of deep friendship. 

No, he would not lose Erestor to this. He refused to. He readied another wash bowl of tepid, herb-laced water, and prepared a cup of the healing tea, managing to rouse Erestor enough to get most of the remedy inside of him. Laying his friend back down, Glorfindel removed the blankets and wiped the sweat-covered body down with the water and herbs, then tenderly tucked the blankets back around him. The warrior’s calloused fingers gently stroked damp, sable hair away from pale features as he wiped Erestor’s face with the cloth dipped in the cooling water. 

Erestor thrashed and mumbled, so Glorfindel sat next to him, stroking his forehead and hair, and finally pulled the delirious elf into his arms to hold him against his chest. Erestor mumbled something that sounded like "why...why".

"Shhh...It is all right now, Erestor. I have you, dear friend. I will take care of you," Glorfindel whispered.

"Why...can't he... love...me?" Erestor mumbled. "He does not... love me...loved him...for so long...why?"

Erestor was in love with someone? How could he not know that? And who was it? Suddenly the thought of Erestor loving another elf, someone he would be closer with, nearly panicked the captain, and he felt an actual pain in his chest. He could lose his dearest friend to someone else and there would be no more late nights filled with his companionship. 

He was being selfish and he knew it. Erestor's happiness had to come first. Glorfindel would make sure he survived the poison, and would help him when they returned home. Maybe he could even intercede with this other elf for him. But first he had to find out who it was. Erestor had never hinted that he was in love, so Glorfindel realized that if he didn't take advantage of Erestor’s condition now to find out, he would never discover who it was. "Who is it that you love, dear friend? Who is it that does not love you? Tell me," he whispered.

"Never...sees... my love...why can't he... love me?"

"Who is it, Erestor? Tell me who it is you love."

"Glor...fin... del."

Was Erestor simply saying his name? Or was he saying he loved him? Glorfindel said again, "Tell me who you love, Erestor," and held his breath.

"Love...Glor...fin... del...Why doesn't... he... love me? Loved him...so long. He...never sees...I love him. Why... can't he... see?"

Glorfindel drew in a sharp, shocked breath. He was a simpleton. He had been a blind fool. He should have acted on his feelings millennia ago when he first thought Erestor was attracted to him. Instead, he had pushed his feelings aside, along with his own attraction for Erestor. Deep in his heart he had always known that he loved the counselor, but he had refused to admit it, even to himself. They could have been together all these years; instead he had made his dearest friend suffer the loneliness of an unrequited love. "He sees now. He sees now," the captain whispered. "I promise you, Erestor, he sees now, and he loves you. Such a fool I have been. Forgive my blindness, my dear, dear friend. I think I have always loved you.”

A dark depression fell upon Glorfindel’s heart as he realized how foolish he had been – how foolish they both had been, for Erestor had not told him of his feelings either. He continued to hold Erestor close, whispering of his love, even though the feverish elf could comprehend none of it. 

By the time Erestor had stilled, it was time for more tea. Glorfindel gently laid his friend back down on the bed, kissed his brow softly, and went to fix more tea. 

Again and again he coaxed the tea into Erestor. He carried the delirious elf to the privy and helped him relieve himself. He got him to take a few spoonfuls of the hot broth and more tea, and bathed his body, over and over. The routine continued for the rest of the day and night, and more than half of the next day before the fever finally broke.

When Erestor finally lay in a deep healing sleep, Glorfindel filled a bowl with the soup he had made. The dried meat and vegetables had dissolved, making a rich, thick broth. He broke some dried biscuits from the cupboard into the soup, and sat at the table where he could watch the bed. He had taken nothing for himself for nearly two days, and was starving. After he ate, he checked on the horses, and then lay beside Erestor, holding him in his arms. Completely worn out, Glorfindel fell into a heavy sleep.

To be continued…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was late afternoon of the second day when the counselor finally stirred. Erestor groaned as he slowly awoke. There was a burning, throbbing pain in his thigh. A gentle hand moved his hair from his face, and he looked up into the blue eyes he so loved. "Where are we, Glorfindel? What happened? The storm..." His voice was weak and shaky. 

"We are in a cabin that our patrols use, and the horses are safe in the stable. You have been delirious with fever for nearly two days." His voice was thick with emotion. He had come so close to losing Erestor. He couldn’t imagine his life without his dearest friend in it, especially now that he realized how much he loved Erestor. "Thank the Valar, you are recovering now," he simply said.

Erestor reached out a hand to touch Glorfindel's face. He had rarely seen the strong captain so overcome with emotion, and the sight made him forget his own pain. "What is it, gwador?" he whispered. “Why are you so troubled?”

Glorfindel cleared his throat and swallowed. "I nearly lost you, Erestor,” he replied. “I...I have not had much sleep. It is nothing, dear friend." He smiled down at Erestor. Now was not the time to tell Erestor what he had said in his delirium. "Tell me how you fare. Is the pain bad? I can see it in your eyes."

Erestor nodded. “My leg hurts badly...throbs – and I’m so thirsty. May I have some water?”

“Of course,” Glorfindel said, helping Erestor sit up and arranging the pillows so the wounded elf could rest against them. He reached for the glass of water he had left on the stand, and helped Erestor hold it in his shaking hands.

“So weak,” Erestor said, in between sips, “and I need to use the privy.”

"Finish the water first and we will go there,” Glorfindel said, holding the glass for his friend.

Erestor drank the entire glass of water thirstily. When he had finished, he admitted wearily, "I do not think I can walk, Glorfindel."

"You do not have to. I have carried you there for two days, and I am honored to continue to do so for as long as you need me to." Glorfindel pulled a blanket around Erestor, and then picking his friend up in his arms, he carried him to the privy. "I will hold you, don't worry," he said, as he slowly set Erestor on his feet and held him firmly, arms around his chest. 

Erestor knew he should be embarrassed to have Glorfindel tend to him in such a personal matter, but the pain he was in, combined with their close friendship, seemed to rob him of any discomfiture. Instead, he was more than grateful for Glorfindel’s care.

When they finished, the captain carried Erestor back to the bed, arranging pillows behind him so he could sit up, and covering him warmly with blankets. "I have an herb tea ready for your pain, Erestor, but I am afraid it will put you to sleep and you need to eat to regain your strength. Do you think you can wait and take some soup first?"

Erestor nodded, leaning back against the pillows. The throbbing in his leg seemed to have subsided a little. “I am very hungry, and I can bear the pain."

Glorfindel fixed a bowl of the soup for Erestor. Taking lembas from his pack, he broke the bread into the broth. He was thankful the Mirkwood elves had provided them with a supply of the waybread. The only other allowed use of the bread, in addition to the comfort of elves on a long journey in the wild, was for the relief of those whose lives were in peril. Erestor needed the strength it would provide, so what lembas was left he would reserve for his wounded friend. When the soup was ready, he sat on the bed and lifted the spoon to the counselor's mouth.

Erestor opened his mouth and swallowed the thick liquid. It was rich and savory and warmed his stomach. "It’s good,” he said, “but if you give me the bowl I can feed myself."

"No, you can't,” Glorfindel replied. “You are too weak. Let me help you, Erestor. I will let you take the spoon while I hold the bowl for you." 

Knowing Glorfindel was right, Erestor did not protest. He was hungry and the soup was satisfying, and the sooner he finished the sooner he could have the herbs for his pain. He took the spoon, and though his hand shook slightly, he quickly emptied the bowl. Sighing, he laid back on his stack of pillows and blankets, feeling much better than when he had awoken. Even the pain in his leg seemed a less. "Thank you - for everything. I don’t know what I would do without you right now."

Glorfindel leaned over and kissed Erestor softly on the brow. "You are very dear to me, Erestor," he whispered. "Now let me get your tea. It will ease your pain and help you sleep again. I need to check on your leg and change the bandage too."

Erestor watched Glorfindel as he poured hot water into a cup that sat on the mantle. He thanked the Valar for the gift of their friendship, so old and comfortable that they could give each other a chaste kiss without thinking twice about it. It was all right if Glorfindel didn't love him as a lover, as long as he loved him as a friend. It was enough, and Erestor was grateful for that.

Glorfindel checked to make sure the tea was not too hot and placed the cup into Erestor’s hands. "Drink the tea before I start on your leg,” he said, watching to make sure Erestor could hold the cup steady. Once Erestor started drinking the tea, Glorfindel fixed a new batch of herbs to treat the wound and got out their healing supplies. He set everything he needed on the stand, and then sat next to Erestor. 

Erestor handed the cup back to Glorfindel and nodded for him to start. Glorfindel slid a towel under the counselor's thigh and carefully cut the bandages away with his knife. He gently removed most of the dried herbs off of his careful stitching and then used a wet cloth to clean the wound. "It is beginning to heal, Erestor. I am nearly certain that I got all of the poison out of it. It is even beginning to close."

Erestor looked down at his leg and winced to see the extent of the wound. If he had been unconscious for two days, it must have been horrendous before Glorfindel cleaned and stitched it. It was no wonder it was still so painful, two days later. After a moment, he simply said, "You sewed it shut." 

"It was a bad wound, Erestor. It should heal faster with the stitching. Not as good as Elrond's, but it will do."

"It will do very well, Glorfindel. Thank you," Erestor said, meaning every word.

Glorfindel smiled softly at his friend, and took up the fresh herb paste he had made. He gently spread it over the wound and wrapped the thigh with fresh bandages. "All done," he said quietly. Erestor was beginning to nod off. Glorfindel gently removed the extra pillows from behind the counselor so he could lie down, and drew the blankets up to his chin. 

"Will you come and sleep beside me, Glorfindel? We can keep each other warm, and you need to rest now as well." Erestor said sleepily. He could hear the wind still howling its fury outside the cabin. Even though Glorfindel had kept the fire in the cabin blazing, the chill air from outside crept into the room around the windows and door, and through tiny little cracks in the log walls. 

"Of course I will. I just need to make sure the horses are well and it’s warm enough in the stable for them. Rest now. Sleep." Glorfindel kissed Erestor on the cheek and left to see to the horses.

Snow drifted in through the cracks in the stable doors, so he piled straw bales against them to help keep the cold out. He covered the horses' backs with blankets he had brought out with him. "I am sorry I did not block that door and get you blankets before now, my friends, but I could not think of anything but Erestor.” The horses whinnied softly as he stroked their noses. After making sure they had sufficient hay and water, he returned to the cabin, leaving the connecting door open so some of the heat from the fire would find its way into the stable.

Glorfindel was hungry, so he quickly ate a bowl of the soup before adding more water, dried meat and vegetables to the pot to cook overnight. He found dried fruit and put it in water to soak overnight and soften. In the morning he would add honey and cook the fruit in porridge for Erestor's breakfast. 

Finally finished with his self-appointed chores, he changed into the warm nightshirt he had been using when he took what little rest he had allowed himself and crawled into bed beside Erestor. Gathering the slumbering elf in his arms, he drifted off into the first peaceful sleep he had had since the attack. 

~~~*~~~

Erestor awoke just after dawn feeling warm and comfortable. The wind was still howling and he could sense how the snow still fell heavily outside of the cabin. The fire was lower, but still burned and Glorfindel was curled up behind him, holding him close. Moving carefully so he did not disturb the still sleeping captain or make his thigh start throbbing again, he rolled over in Glorfindel's arms until he was facing his friend. He breathed deeply, taking in the scent of the elf he had loved from the first moment they met so many centuries ago. Resting his head on the strong shoulder, he slept once more. 

Glorfindel had woken when Erestor moved, but stayed still, waiting to see what his friend would do. Once Erestor’s deep and steady breathing signaled he was again sleeping, Glorfindel lifted his head and smiled down at him, gently stroking the dark head. "I love you, Erestor," he whispered. “When you are better, I will tell you and show you how much.” Laying his head back down on his pillow, he rejoined Erestor in reverie.

When Erestor awoke again he was alone in the bed, and Glorfindel was bent over in front of the fireplace, stirring something in a small cooking pot with a long wooden spoon in one hand and holding his golden mane out of the fire with the other. "Glorfindel?" Erestor called softly. 

Glorfindel straightened and turned towards the bed, a brilliant smile on his face. “Good morning, melmë!” he said quietly but cheerfully. “Are you feeling better this morning? I will have your breakfast ready in just a few more minutes.”

Erestor didn't answer and Glorfindel suddenly realized what he had just said. Placing the spoon on the table, he went to the bed and, kneeling beside it, took Erestor’s hands in his own. The counselor’s face was a study of shock and conflicting emotions. 

Erestor knew instantly that he must have said something to Glorfindel when he was not in his right mind from the fever. That was the only reason that the captain would have called him “melmë”. Glorfindel didn’t love him – they were just friends; yes, good friends, closer than brothers, but friends just the same. 

Glorfindel read the words running through Erestor’s mind as if they had been said aloud. Everything was discernible in his expressive grey eyes. "Forgive me, Erestor. I did not mean for it to come out like that. You see, I have been thinking of you as my love, and I was so excited to see you wake and looking like you felt better, that it just came out. I do love you. I am sorry it took me so long to see. Can you forgive this foolish old elf?” He knew it was rambling and finally forced his mouth shut, waiting for Erestor’s response.

Erestor stared at Glorfindel as if the captain had lost his mind, and then stared at the larger hands that held his own. Finally, he whispered, “You cannot love me. You have either deluded yourself because you thought I was dying or this is nothing but a spiteful dream from the Orcs’ foul poison.” It didn’t feel like a dream, though. Even though he was still very weak, Erestor felt wide awake – Glorfindel’s words and the pain in his leg had managed to accomplish that much. 

“No dream,” the captain said softly, understanding his friend’s confusion. Erestor was still far from well and he would just have to give the counselor more time to take in everything. “My dear friend, I really do love you.”

“I know you love me,” Erestor said hurriedly. “I love you too. Glorfindel, you are my dearest friend and companion…” 

“Erestor,” Glorfindel said gently interrupting the hurried words, “I meant, I am *in* love with you.”

“You can’t be,” Erestor said firmly, shaking his head at Glorfindel. “You are delusional.”

“Yes, Erestor,” Glorfindel said with a smile. “Whatever you say. But I *do* love you.” Rising up from his knees, he softly pressed his lips to Erestor’s, tasting his friend’s sweet mouth for the first time.

The kiss was over in an instant, and Erestor was left pressing his fingertips to his lips and watching Glorfindel’s back in wonder as the captain returned to the fireplace. Shaking his head, he forced his friend’s words out of his mind. It was impossible that Glorfindel finally returned his feelings. 

While Glorfindel puttered over his simmering pots preparing their breakfast, a large black head came into view from the door to the stable and drew Erestor’s attention. "Durion!” the counselor exclaimed. “Have you come to see me, my friend?" The horse calmly walked over the bed and nuzzled his nose gently into Erestor's chest. "I will be well," Erestor said stroking the horse's head. He rested his cheek into the stallion’s soft coat and continued to stroke the animal for several long moments. He and Durion had been together for many years. "You had better go back to the stable now,” he finally said. “You and Asfaloth keep each other warm."

After huffing in Erestor's hair, Durion headed back to the stable. The captain looked at Erestor and smiled. "He loves you,” Glorfindel said. "I found some dried apples yesterday that I will take to them after breakfast. Are you hungry?"

Erestor nodded. "Very. But can we go to the privy first?" Glorfindel seemed ready to cease the discussion about loving him for the time being, and he was happy to do the same. He was feeling much better than the previous night and refused to allow himself to be troubled by it. 

When they had finished in the privy, Glorfindel carried Erestor back and settled him comfortably in the bed. After helping the counselor freshen up and wash his hands and face, he brought two bowls of porridge and fruit over and handed one to Erestor.

"However did you make this?" Erestor exclaimed when he saw his breakfast. "It looks wonderful."

"This cabin is well stocked. There is plenty to last us as long as we have to stay here. I will have to be sure and compliment whoever supplied it when we return home." 

After breakfast, Glorfindel washed the bowls they had used, refilled the large pot with snow for water, and took the dried apples to the horses. Sitting down next to Erestor on the bed, Glorfindel wrapped an arm around the counselor. After coaxing his friend to lean against him, he said, “I am hoping that your leg will be well enough in a few days to continue our journey, assuming the storm stops. Until then, rest and regain your strength, and let me care for you. You lost a lot of blood, Erestor, and it will take some time for you to recover.”

Erestor nodded against the broad chest, beginning to feel drowsy again. “Tell me what happened?” he asked. “The last I remember before I woke yesterday was being out in the storm and you saying we had to get to the cabin.”

Glorfindel nodded. “It took several hours to find the cabin. I nearly despaired more than once. The snow was so blinding it was almost impossible to see anything. I feared you were losing consciousness and pulled you onto Asfaloth, sitting in front of me so I could hold on to you.”

“You did?” Erestor asked, surprised. He had no recollection of it, and it touched him that Glorfindel had made sure he survived the journey. “Thank you for taking care of me, gwador.”

“There is no need to thank me,” Glorfindel answered, resting his cheek against Erestor’s head. “When we finally got here, you were unconscious and burning with fever. I was so scared I would lose you. I cleaned and stitched your wound, and woke you enough to get the healing tea into you. For nearly two days the fever had you in its grip, and during those two days I sat and watched you, poured more tea into you, wiped down your feverish skin, and thought of how dear you were to me. I cannot imagine my life without you, Erestor.” Bowing his head, he kissed Erestor’s temple and saw the counselor’s eyes begin to glaze over. “You are still exhausted from your fight with the poison,” he whispered. Moving Erestor gently, he settled the sleeping elf down in the bed, tucking the warm blankets around him.

While Erestor slept, Glorfindel brought out the grains and honey from the cupboard and managed to mix up a batter for little griddlecakes. He cooked a trial one over the fire, then left it to cool in the pan while he added more dried meat and vegetables to the soup, along with some spices. He took the griddlecake out of the pan and dribbled some honey on it, looking at it speculatively. Finally he opened his mouth and took a bite. Slowly his lips curved into a smile. Silently congratulating himself, he started cooking enough of the cakes for their lunch. 

To be continued…..

 

Melmë: (Quenya) love  
Gwador: (Sindarin) Sworn brother – not related by blood.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It was past the time that they should have eaten and Erestor still slept. Finally deciding that the counselor really needed to eat to regain his strength, he sat down on the side of the bed, leaned over, and kissed Erestor's soft lips. "Wake up, melmë." Erestor might not accept the fact that Glorfindel loved him, but that was not going to keep the captain from reminding him and stealing a sweet kiss whenever he had the chance. 

The grey eyes finally focused, and Erestor looked up at his friend. The suspicion of a soft touch to his lips remained, and he wondered if he had dreamt Glorfindel’s kiss. 

"How are you feeling?” Glorfindel asked. “Is your leg hurting you badly?"

Erestor shook his head. “The pain is much less. Is it time for lunch already?" Erestor asked sleepily. 

"Long past time. You needed the sleep. Do you want to go to the privy first?"

Erestor nodded, and wrapped his arms around Glorfindel's neck as the captain lifted him to carry him down the short hall. "I will be spoiled by the time I am healed."

Glorfindel chuckled. “I doubt that,” he said softly.

Erestor ate a good lunch and complimented Glorfindel on the griddlecakes, soup, and tea.

Glorfindel blushed faintly at the praise. He was just happy that Erestor had improved enough to enjoy the meal. "I am glad you like everything,” he said. “There are a lot of supplies, but mostly the same grains and dried foods, so I fear our meals will have little variety. There is a good supply of dried meat. You need it to rebuild your strength."

“Just as long as you remember how you made these griddlecakes,” Erestor replied, as he snatched another from the plate to pop it into his mouth.

“If this storm does not stop you may have to eat them for a long, long time,” Glorfindel said, not quite teasing. “This blizzard has kept up for three days now. The snow is piled in front of the doors. We may have to dig our way out of here when it finally stops. We’re fortunate there is a lot of wood stored for the winter, or we would freeze, the horses included. I have thanked the Valar daily for both our safe arrival here and the supplies we need to survive this."

"Are they all right?" Erestor looked at the open door that led to the stable, suddenly worried for the animals. “Is there hay enough to last in there?”

“They are fine,” Glorfindel replied, nodding. “There is a winter’s supply of good hay, oats and corn for several horses. I piled up bales of straw in front of the outside stable door to keep the snow from coming in and covered the horses with blankets. Some of the heat from here makes its way into the stable. I left the connecting door open so they can move closer to the fire if it gets too cold in there at night, although that does mean we lose some of our heat. They have plenty of food and water."

"Good." Erestor smiled. "Thank you, mellon-nín."

After lunch, Glorfindel bathed Erestor as much as he could using a cloth and then bundled him up warmly in blankets. Erestor was still weak and far from healed. Glorfindel left his bedside and made more of the batter for the griddlecakes, added water and dried meat and vegetables to the soup pot, and brushed the horses. When he had completed those chores, he stripped and stood in front of the fire and washed himself, putting on his last clean tunic and leggings. He did not want to take any more of the clothing stored in the cabin than he had to, preferring to leave them for the use of the patrols. He decided he had better do something about his dirty clothes, or resign himself to wearing them. He found a large tub in the stable, pulled it into the cabin, and emptied the water from the large pot into it. This meant, of course, he had to go back outside for more snow. He would have to make do with barely enough water to cover the clothes or he wouldn't be able to lift the tub to empty it, but how would he rinse his clothes if he used soap to wash them? 

Scrounging around the stable again, he located two wooden buckets that would work just fine. He could keep the tub with soapy water for washing other things, like dirty dishes, and use the buckets for rinse water. Pleased with his find, he once again moved the insulating straw bales and cracked open the door to fill the buckets with snow. Making several trips, he filled every excess pot he could find in the cabin with snow so they would have plenty of water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. He secured the stable door against the storm and returned to the cabin. After adding both their dirty clothes to the water in the tub, Glorfindel left them to soak while he started making the griddlecakes for their dinner. As he cooked their meal, he realized that if Erestor were well he would actually be enjoying himself.

Erestor woke and watched as Glorfindel scurried back and forth. He loved watching the beautiful captain work, but felt guilty he could not get up and help him. For some reason he was feeling worse. His head hurt, his whole body ached, and he was exhausted, even after sleeping for hours. 

Glorfindel glanced over to the bed, smiling when he saw that Erestor was awake and watching him. "Did you sleep well, melmë? How long have you been awake?"

"For a while. I was watching you and wishing I could get up and help you. Are you washing clothes?" Erestor let Glorfindel’s use of “melmë” again slip by. 

The captain nodded. "These are my last clean ones so I thought I had better figure something out. Would you like some soup or tea?"

Erestor shook his head. 

Glorfindel left his cooking to go and sit by his friend. "What is wrong, gwador?"

"I don't feel well, and I'm hot,” the counselor replied. “It’s a strange feeling – almost like my skin is irritable.”

Glorfindel quickly brought a hand to Erestor's face, feeling his forehead, and then took both of the counselor’s hands into his own, feeling the skin along his forearms. "You are feverish again, Erestor. I should not have stopped giving you the tea made from the curative herbs after your fever broke. All of the poison has not left your body. I will mix the herbs and make the tea. Try to drink as much of it as you can." 

At Erestor’s nod, Glorfindel hurried back to the fire and made the tea, leaving it to steep. He fetched new bandages and returned to the bed to tend to Erestor's wound, removing the old strips of cloth and dried herbs. The wound looked clean and was healing nicely, so he placed his hand over it. It was no hotter than the rest of Erestor's skin. "The wound is fine, Erestor. It's not what is causing your fever again. We have to get the poison out of the rest of your body."

Erestor just nodded woodenly.

Glorfindel was not willing to assume the wound would continue healing, so he covered it with a new paste of herbs before bandaging it again. He helped Erestor sit up, stacking the pillows behind him, and brought tea and some of the fresh griddlecakes to the bed. Since Erestor liked them, Glorfindel hoped he could coax the counselor to eat a bit. Erestor was being altogether too quiet and compliant, speaking loudly of how badly he was feeling. Holding the cup of tea to the feverish elf’s lips, he said softly, “Drink, gwador." When Erestor had managed to finish the tea, Glorfindel broke off a piece of the cake and offered it to the counselor. "Will you try to eat a little?" 

Erestor dutifully took the small piece of food and chewed it slowly. "No more. Maybe I could manage a little soup." He knew Glorfindel would worry if he didn't eat anything, but he just couldn’t force himself to eat more of the cakes. 

"I'll bring you some, and brew some more tea. I am sorry, Erestor. I should have cared for you better. But you seemed so much better that I rushed you,” Glorfindel said guiltily.

"No, Glorfindel. I was feeling better. You could not have known there was still poison. How could this be your fault?"

Glorfindel leaned over and softly kissed Erestor’s brow, and then got up to get the soup and make more tea. He would be sure he kept making the tea for Erestor this time, even after he seemed better. 

Erestor managed to eat several spoonfuls of the soup, and drink another cup of tea. Glorfindel carried him to the privy before tucking him back in bed. He kissed the ailing elf’s brow once again and stroked his forehead "Sleep now, Erestor. I will be here watching over you."

Erestor nodded. 

Throughout the night Glorfindel remained by his friend. Erestor’s fever rose to an alarming height and sweat poured from the counselor as the poison left his body. Glorfindel realized what he had done wrong before. He had been so concerned with the fever that he had stopped the natural process of Erestor's body cleansing itself of the foul substance by continually wiping him down with cooling water. 

He refused to let Erestor throw the blankets off his overheated body. Several times he made more hot tea, which he coerced the counselor into drinking. Erestor was miserable, and Glorfindel refused to cool the heated body with tepid water. The only way to get the poison out was for Erestor to sweat it out, so Glorfindel did everything he could to make that happen.

Erestor sobbed miserably, completely out of his mind with fever, as Glorfindel held and rocked him, bundled in blankets. If the tears of both elves mixed on heated cheeks, only one could ever say.

It was nearly evening on the following day when the fever finally broke and Erestor's body cooled. He fell into an exhausted sleep and Glorfindel collapsed beside him. 

Glorfindel woke a few hours later as Erestor turned and moaned. Frantic, he brushed the hair away from his friend’s face and laid his palm on Erestor’s forehead to check if the fever was back. He felt cool, and Glorfindel breathed a sigh of relief. 

Slowly, Erestor's eyes focused and he woke. "Thirsty," he croaked.

Glorfindel practically leapt from the bed to get a glass of cool water. He lifted Erestor to a sitting position, supporting him with an arm, and held the glass up to the counselor’s lips.

Erestor drank the entire glass down eagerly. "Thank you," he said, his voice sounding slightly better. 

"How do you feel, melmë?" Glorfindel asked.

"Like I've been pummeled by an Orc. Filthy. Sticky. Smelly. Exhausted. Hungry. I need to use the privy. And don’t call me melmë. I am NOT your melmë."

Glorfindel smiled. If Erestor was feeling all that and was touchy enough to comment about Glorfindel’s use of “melmë” besides, he was truly on the mend this time. “Oh, but you are,” he whispered. “Melmë.”

Erestor scowled at the captain’s cheerful smile as Glorfindel lifted him into his arms and carried him down the hall. He knew he was being beastly to Glorfindel, but he felt awful, and couldn't help himself. Elves were just not made to be sick, and he didn't know how to handle what he was feeling. He decided he'd better just keep his mouth shut. All he really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry, of all the ridiculous things.

Glorfindel knew he was probably irritating his already-cranky friend, but he was just too happy about Erestor’s recovery to stop himself from smiling. When they returned, he laid the counselor back in the bed and tucked the stale blankets around him to keep him warm. "Rest for a few minutes while I get everything ready," he said, beaming down at Erestor. 

Erestor mumbled something about being sick of the bed and the blankets smelled and were damp with sweat. 

Glorfindel just smiled and left him in the bed. He pulled blankets out of chests, folded several of them in half, and laid them in front of the fire. He scrounged through the rest of the chests and managed to find some bed sheets he had missed before, more pillows, and towels. Next, he dug through Erestor's pack and found the Counselor's own nightshirt. It was clean and warm, but most importantly, it was a comfortable old garment, soft from many washings. Digging in the pack again, he found Erestor's soap. The hard bar smelled of soothing lavender. 

He took the clothes that were soaking in the tub, wrung them out, and set them aside. Then he added hot water from the kettle to the water in his buckets, testing it as he poured to get it to the right temperature. When it was just right, he shaved off some of the soap into one of the buckets and stirred it around with his hand. Everything was ready.

He went to the bed and tossed one of the used pillows towards the tub. Erestor was curled up in a miserable little ball, his back to Glorfindel. "Erestor, I am going to carry you to the fire now." Erestor didn't move, so he simply picked him up in his blankets. "Wrap your arms around me," he said softly. 

Erestor finally moved and put one arm around Glorfindel's neck. 

Glorfindel carried his precious burden to the fire and laid him gently on the fresh blankets as he removed stale and damp blankets and nightshirt. He put the used, damp pillow under Erestor's head. Dipping a cloth in the bucket with the soap, he began to wash the peevish elf. Starting at the feet, he carefully wiped and then dried every inch of Erestor's body, gently turning him on one side to cleanse his back half, and then back again. He removed the bandages on his thigh, cleaned the wound, dried it, and bandaged it again with a fresh batch of healing herbs. When he was done with that, he carefully washed Erestor's neck and face. Large grey, watery eyes stared up at him, finally lucid. In their depths Glorfindel read discomfort, uncertainty, and guilt. The captain smiled softly, caressing a pale cheek, and whispered, “It will be all right, Erestor.”

He wrapped an arm around Erestor’s shoulders and lifted him. Setting the used pillow on the edge of the tub, Glorfindel lowered Erestor’s head so his hair hung into the tub. He carefully poured the bucket of warm, soapy water over Erestor’s head, then lathered his hands with the soap and gently massaged his friend’s scalp and hair. When he was done, he poured the bucket of clean water over Erestor's hair, gently working it through the long mane to rinse it. After ringing out the excess water, he pushed the big tub back and wrapped Erestor's head in a large towel. Pulling Erestor onto his lap, he lifted the damp, top blanket and tossed it aside. 

Glorfindel slipped Erestor's nightshirt over his head and dressed him in it as one would an infant, moving his arms through the sleeves while he used his own body to hold the counselor upright. He gently laid Erestor down on the fresh blanket, his towel-wrapped head on the new pillow, then lifted his body and pulled the nightshirt down to cover him warmly. He laid another fresh blanket over him, rose, and went to the bed. He stripped the mattress of all the old soiled sheets and blankets, and dumped everything in the tub with the used, soapy water. Taking fresh sheets, blankets and pillows, he remade the bed. 

Glorfindel looked at Erestor. He could sense a little of what Erestor was feeling, and all he wanted to do was take care of this elf he loved. Erestor was just lying there, continuing to observe him with those big grey eyes shining with a hint of tears. Glorfindel wasn't sure what he should do next. Erestor had said he was hungry, but the counselor was clearly exhausted and did not even have the strength left to speak. Glorfindel really wanted to get him comfortable in bed and then help him eat, but Erestor’s hair was wet and it would dry better in front of the fire.

He went to the fire and ladled some soup into a bowl, then set it down with a spoon for the moment. He gently sat Erestor up, removed the towel from his head, and fluffed his hair out to dry. Holding Erestor up with one arm, he sat down beside him, held the bowl of soup carefully on his own lap, and lifted a spoonful of soup to Erestor's lips. Erestor opened his mouth and swallowed. Glorfindel fed him the entire bowl before setting it aside. 

Glorfindel moved behind Erestor and scooted around until the exhausted elf sat between his open legs. Moving Erestor's long, wet hair to each side, he lifted it and ran his fingers through it lightly to dry before the fire, gently rubbing the scalp as he worked. 

It wasn't long before Erestor's shoulders shook and a muffled sob escaped his lips. 

Glorfindel quickly gathered Erestor onto his lap and wrapped his arms around him, rocking him slowly. "Shhh... It's all right, gwador. I have you," he whispered, kissing as much of the dark head as he could reach as warm tears dampened his shoulder. 

“I just feel so dreadful and I don’t know what to do to feel better,” Erestor choked out after long moments. “I don’t mean to be so petulant when you are so good to me. I just can’t seem to help it.”

“It’s all right, gwador,” Glorfindel said again, his heart hurting for his dearest friend. “I understand, truly. You have nothing to be sorry for. We are not made to deal well with illness, we elves.” His fingers caressed the dark head on his shoulder and encountered skin that was once again too warm, although nothing like it had been. Just the little bit of movement and activity had caused a slight return of his fever and was probably to blame for the state the counselor was in. It seemed Erestor was not able to manage having even a small fever, which was altogether not unusual for elves. They could handle the severest pain stoically; fever and the effects of poison, however, were too closely akin to illness and foreign to them. “A little of the fever has returned, gwador,” he said quietly, his fingers moving rhythmically through the silken mane. “You need to rest. The bed is fresh with cool sheets and clean, warm blankets. Let me tuck you back into bed, and then I will make you cup of tea for the fever.”

Erestor was once more settled into the bed and covered warmly. He was exhausted by the time he had finished drinking the herbal remedy and felt his eyes beginning to cloud with sleep. 

“Go to sleep,” Glorfindel whispered, smoothing the hair around Erestor’s beautiful face. 

Erestor nodded and made no attempt to stifle a yawn. "Will you sleep beside me to share the warmth?"

"Just as soon as I have something to eat and wash myself a little,” Glorfindel replied softly, continuing the light, rhythmic touches to Erestor’s head. “Sleep. Rest. And when you wake, I promise I will be beside you.”

Once Erestor was asleep, Glorfindel quickly ate his meal, stripped before the fire, and washed himself. It felt good to be clean again, but elf or no, he shivered in the cold air and pulled on a clean nightshirt. Crawling into bed, he drew Erestor into his arms and, exhausted, fell instantly asleep, where he dreamed of holding a beautiful, strong, dark-haired elf in his arms.

To be continued…


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

 

Glorfindel woke and gently brushed tangled dark hair out of Erestor's face. He smiled down on his still sleeping companion, and couldn't resist placing a fleeting kiss on the full, red lips. Erestor murmured, and snuggled deeper into Glorfindel's warmth, making the blond’s smile widen. Glorfindel was ready to get up and start cleaning up the mess he had made the night before, but he had promised Erestor that he would be beside him when he woke, so he wasn't going anywhere just yet. He rested his chin on the crown of Erestor’s head and glanced around the room. 

What a mess! His dirty clothes lay in a soggy, half-frozen heap. Soiled linens and used blankets seemed to be everywhere, and he had left their dirty soup bowls and spoons just sitting on the table. Judging by how low the fire had burned, he reckoned it was probably late morning. He really needed to build up the fire again to warm the room more. With any luck the kettle hadn't boiled dry. He'd been so exhausted the night before he couldn't even remember if he'd left water in it. The soup was hopefully still good to eat and not burnt, and there were the griddlecakes he had made the day before that perhaps could be warmed again. He didn't think he'd be able to do any new cooking until he got the mess cleaned up. 

He suddenly noticed two large shadowy shapes in the other side of the room. Asfaloth and Durion had sought out the warmth of the room during the night, and were resting next to each other for warmth, blankets still covering their backs. 

He really needed Erestor to wake so he could tend to the fire, aside from the fact that he needed to use the privy. He hated to wake him, but he didn't have any other choice. Kissing seemed like it would be the best choice. At the risk of an angry counselor, he bowed his head and pressed his lips to Erestor’s in a gentle kiss. 

Erestor moaned, and as he woke, his arms instinctively wrapped around Glorfindel. His eyes becoming more alert, he was startled to find the captain’s face so close. Once again there was a faint memory of soft lips against his and he wondered if he had been dreaming.

"Forgive me for waking you, but I need to get up and I promised I would be beside you in the morning," Glorfindel said softly. "How do you feel this morning?"

"Better, I think. Leg hurts a little,” Erestor responded groggily. “Still weak, I think. You need to get up?"

"The fire needs tending and I have to go to the privy."

"I think I need to go there too," Erestor replied, yawning.

Glorfindel smiled. A half-asleep Erestor certainly did a lot of thinking. "Let's go and get that over with first, then you can get back in this warm bed while I build up the fire."

Erestor nodded tiredly. 

Glorfindel wrapped the counselor in blankets and quickly carried him down the hall. It was freezing, so he hurried to get Erestor back into the warm bed. He checked the water kettle, which fortunately was still half-full, and added wood to the fire. He stirred the soup and was pleased to see it still looked and smelled good. Remembering his promise to himself, he prepared a cup of tea for Erestor, adding honey to sweeten it.

Erestor noticed the horses and spoke softly to Durion. The animal walked over to the bed, sniffing at his master. Erestor rubbed the stallion’s nose, and then sent him back to Asfaloth's side.

Glorfindel handed the cup of tea to Erestor and sat beside him, watching to make sure that the Elf was able to hold it without spilling. Erestor’s hands trembled and Glorfindel enclosed the shaking fingers and cup inside of his own strong hands. 

Erestor felt as weak as a kitten and was grateful for Glorfindel’s aid. With his friend’s help, he lifted the cup to his mouth and carefully sipped the steaming brew. He was colder than he should have been because of the poison and his illness from it, but the sweet, hot tea warmed his insides and cleared the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes. By the time he had finished the tea, he felt a bit stronger and some of the trembling of his hands had calmed. He was hungry. Very hungry. “Is there any soup left?” he asked hopefully. “Or some of the little cakes?”

“The griddlecakes are cold and hard, but the soup is good and hot and there is dried fruit. We can break the griddlecakes in the soup, and there is still some lembas left I will add to yours. Tomorrow I will do better and have porridge ready for you,” Glorfindel said, pleased that Erestor’s appetite had returned. “I’m afraid I left quite a mess that I need to clean up before I can do more cooking.” 

Erestor shook his head. “You do just fine and no one has ever taken better care of me.” He reached out and took one of Glorfindel’s hands in his own. “Thank you, gwador,” he said softly. “I would not have survived without you.”

Glorfindel leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to Erestor’s brow. “I cannot imagine my life without you in it,” he said. Unable to resist, he wrapped arms around his dearest friend. For a brief moment he rested his head on Erestor’s shoulder until the counselor’s growling stomach made him look up guiltily. “And your food is coming right now.”

After both had eaten their fill of the nourishing, hot soup, Erestor rested in bed while Glorfindel began the daunting task of cleanup and laundry. He built the fire up, not just to heat the room, but to heat pots of water for cleaning. He made several trips to and from the stable doors with pots of snow for the water he needed, and on one of the trips, returned with several long lengths of rope and a large basket he had found. 

While the pots and kettles of water melted and heated, he fastened the rope high along the sides of the cabin where the door and windows were, and then began sorting out the mess. He piled the used blankets and linens in one spot, then dumped his half frozen clothing in the tub, shaved soap slivers on top, and covered them with hot water. While they soaked for a bit, he gathered all of their used plates and bowls and stacked them up near the tub. Luckily he still had enough water in all the bowls and pots he had filled for rinse water, so he filled his two buckets with clean water. 

"After I wash our clothes, I can rinse them first in one bucket and then in the other to get the soap out," Glorfindel said, looking up with a smile at Erestor. He had felt the counselor watching him as he worked. “Once they’re washed I’ll put them into the basket to stay clean until I can hang them on the ropes.” 

“I wish I could get up and help you,” Erestor said guiltily. “It’s not right you should have to do it all by yourself.”

“It’s perfectly right,” Glorfindel said, rolling up his shirtsleeves and beginning to scrub a pair of leggings against the side of the wooden tub. “You need plenty of rest to recover, Erestor.” He looked up at his friend fondly, a soft smile on his face, and then returned to his work.

The reflected firelight set Glorfindel’s hair aglow: a radiant halo for the great warrior. In that moment of clarity, Erestor finally realized the truth. Glorfindel had cared for him as no other ever had, bathing and feeding him, even carrying him to the privy. He had a vague memory of the captain holding him in his arms and pressing soft kisses on his hot and sweaty face. Those spectral kisses he had felt were no ghost: Glorfindel had kissed him! Fever-wracked, sudoriferous, it hadn’t mattered. Glorfindel had kissed him. “You really do love me!” he breathed.

Glorfindel looked up, his keen blue eyes shining. “Yes,” he said softly and fervently, heart pounding, the need for breath forgotten, “I really do love you.” Dropping the leggings into the tub, he rose, wiping his soapy hands on his clothes as he stood. The distance to the bed was covered in barely a moment, and in an action reminiscent of the morning he had first told Erestor he loved him, Glorfindel knelt down along side of it and took Erestor’s hands into his own. “And do you love me too, melmë?” he whispered, knowing the answer but needing to hear the words.

“I do,” Erestor responded quietly. “I always have, from the first moment I saw you. I never believed that it was possible to fall in love with only a look, but I did.” Erestor’s voice bore a hint of disbelief. After a soft kiss was pressed to his fingertips, his shoulders were carefully lifted from the pillows as he was enfolded in powerful arms and held in a tender embrace. Resting his head against Glorfindel’s chest, snuggled beneath the captain’s chin, he draped his arms shakily around the blond. “I love you, Glorfindel,” he whispered. “Thank you for loving me.”

“What a pair of old fools we are,” Glorfindel said, shaking his head and so rubbing his cheek against the top of Erestor’s head. “You should have told me centuries ago.”

“You should have given me some sign that my feelings would have been returned,” Erestor retorted. 

“I would have if I’d known the feelings were there to return,” Glorfindel replied, resisting the urge to tease Erestor by poking him in the ribs.

“Two old fools,” Erestor said, the love evident in his voice.

After several minutes of the two simply sitting and resting comfortably together, Glorfindel gently laid Erestor back against the pillow. “Rest,” he whispered. “Sleep. I will be no farther away than the sound of your voice.” 

Erestor smiled up at Glorfindel tiredly. “I feel like I just woke up and I’m sleepy again. So tired.”

Refraining from saying that he *did* just wake up, Glorfindel leaned over and slowly brushed his lips against Erestor’s, resisting the urge to deepen the kiss. That could wait until Erestor was healed more. “Sleep” he whispered. 

Erestor’s fingertips touched his lips in wonder as his eyes lost their focus and he succumbed to need for more slumber.

Glorfindel returned to his washing, first scrubbing the dirty clothing and linens in the soapy water in the tub, and then rinsing them in the buckets of water. It took a few more trips to the stable doors to fill pots and pans with snow to melt for fresh water before all of the washing hung from the ropes he had strung along the cabin walls. The drying blankets and sheets would help keep all of the heat from escaping out of the room through the fine cracks in the log walls. After the clothes and linens came the dirty dishes. By midday, Glorfindel had the cabin tidy once more and he was ready for more cooking. 

Roaming through the cupboards and chests, he brought out everything he would need for his new experiments and more. The table held his supplies: flour and grains, dried vegetables and fruits, and dried meat. The meat and dried vegetables he placed in a bowl with water to soak and soften for their evening meal, since sufficient soup remained for a midday repast. He made more of the little griddle cakes that Erestor liked and then woke the groggy Elf coaxing him into eating a small meal and drinking more of the healing tea. 

When Erestor was once again asleep, Glorfindel began a pot of thick stew from the dried meat and vegetables he had set to soak, seasoning it with spices in had found in the cupboards. Reckoning that they would tire of the little griddlecakes since the storm and Erestor’s wound looked to keep them in the cabin for many days, he mixed flour, oatmeal, honey, salt, and a spoonful of what he knew from its earthly smell was dried leaven. Adding water, he blended and then kneaded the mixture, finding the rhythmic pounding of the forming dough relaxing. When it was sufficiently elastic, he separated it into two parts. To one part he kneaded in dried raisins and little bits of other fruits; the other he left plain. He set the dough in towel covered bowls to rise before the fire and spent the next hour sweeping the stable, laying out fresh straw and hay, and brushing the horses. 

When he was done in the stable, he returned to the main room of the cabin and washed the dirt and sweat from his hands and face. After washing, he took the now risen dough, pounded it down, and formed it into round loaves. These he placed on a large griddle, once more covered with the towel to rise. 

After checking on their slow-cooking stew, Glorfindel used the washing tub to take a sponge bath before the fire, even managing to wash and rinse his hair. Feeling refreshed, he changed into clean leggings and tunic, disposed of the dirty water, brushed out and braided his still wet hair, and set to finishing up their dinner. His round loaves had risen nicely and he smiled at them, his heart remembering and blessing his mother for teaching him how to make bread. Carefully covering the loaves on the griddle with an overturned cast iron pot, he used the hearth tongs and poker to push it into the fire and bank the burning wood around it. 

Satisfied with his work, he fixed himself a cup a tea with honey, rummaged though his pack for the small, well-worn book of poems that he carried, and settled at the table for a well-earned rest. Propping his booted feet up on a chair seat, he opened the treasured, leather-bound little volume, took a sip of tea, and began to read, his eyes straying to Erestor asleep in the bed every few lines. Throughout the day he had checked on the counselor often, just listening to his breathing or rearranging a blanket to keep Erestor warm. Although he was a bit concerned about the amount of time the wounded Elf was sleeping, he knew Erestor’s body had need of the rest to recover. Between the blood loss on the grueling journey after the Orc attack, the poison and the fever, he was lucky that Erestor was doing this well. It would probably take several days of good food and good care before the counselor began to show any real improvement – and that was perfectly all right with Glorfindel. He had discovered something that surprised him greatly on this journey: he liked doing the cooking and cleaning and he even liked doing the laundry. He liked taking care of Erestor. 

In the end, he put down his book and simply watched Erestor sleep. The counselor’s face was relaxed in slumber, his hair spread like a murky shadow over white linen in the dusk of the room. Erestor was beautiful. Fools indeed, to have pushed their feelings aside for so long instead of acting on them; they had been cowards, afraid of acting and losing what they did have - their friendship. It was good that elves did not have the lifespan of humans, as long as it took the two of them to admit to their feelings. 

Perhaps Erestor felt the blond’s eyes on him, for in his sleep, a soft smile suddenly appeared his face and the breath of a sigh left his lips. 

Glorfindel smiled in return before finally getting up to check on the baking bread. Moving carefully with the tools, he freed the loaves from his makeshift oven and carried them in towels to the table. The steaming loaves sounded hollow as he lightly tapped the bottoms, and he nodded, pleased. He propped the bread on their sides and left them to cool on a towel; to cut them while they were still so hot would turn the slices into a doughy mess. By the time Glorfindel had made Erestor’s tea, woken him, and helped him to the privy, the bread would be cool enough to slice but still warm enough to savor.

The tea was ready and he wanted Erestor to eat the rich stew before the meat and vegetables disintegrated, so he set the cup on the bedside table and leaned over the sleeping Elf. Brushing Erestor’s tangled hair away from his face, he said, “Erestor? Can you wake up? It is time for you to eat something. I know you are tired and your body is demanding rest, but you will heal faster with some good food in you.”

Erestor’s eyes slowly focused. “Glorfindel,” he murmured, finally recognizing the elf beside him. “Do I have to wake up? So tired.”

“Just for a little while, melmë,” Glorfindel said softly, “and then you can go back to sleep. Only long enough to drink the tea and eat, and then you can sleep undisturbed for the rest of the night.” 

Erestor nodded groggily as he rolled into the warmth of the bedclothes. 

“Maybe some refreshing water on your face will help,” Glorfindel said, realizing that Erestor was not waking up. He quickly fixed a bowl of tepid water, and after helping the counselor sit up, wiped Erestor’s face with a generously damp cloth. “Better?” he asked as Erestor began to show signs of truly waking up. 

Erestor nodded and leaned against Glorfindel. He knew that he needed to eat and drink, but he was just so very tired and eating and drinking would take energy that he just didn’t seem to have. Even talking seemed beyond him. Glorfindel held the cup of tea to his lips and he drank instinctively. By the time he had drained the cup, he was feeling more awake and able to eat.

Glorfindel hid his concern for Erestor, not wishing to worry him. The counselor seemed to be getting worse instead of better, at least in terms of his strength and alertness. The last two times Erestor had awoken, he seemed more tired and quiet than before. Surprisingly, Erestor ate more than he usually did; a compliment to Glorfindel’s cooking, though the ailing elf said little other than to remark on how good the bread was and to ask for a second helping of the rich stew. 

After they had eaten, Erestor once again rested against Glorfindel, using him as a backrest. 

“How are you feeling now, melmë?” Glorfindel asked. “Better since you have eaten?” 

Erestor nodded. “I’m just so very tired,” he said, stifling a yawn. “I shouldn’t be this tired. Hold me?” he asked, snuggling closer to Glorfindel and trying to wrap his arms tighter around him.

In that instant Glorfindel’s heart melted and he fell even more in love with Erestor. “Always,” he responded with a soft smile, holding his arms open so the counselor could make himself most comfortable. “I will always hold you.” Wrapping his arms around Erestor, Glorfindel held him close, loving the way they seemed to fit so well together. Holding Erestor felt better than he had ever imagined it could. Erestor was draped across Glorfindel’s lap, resting against his chest, his head tucked under the golden elf’s chin. “I love you,” Glorfindel whispered. “Always.”

“I love you too,” Erestor said softly, his eyes losing focus. 

“I wonder if it is the herbs in the tea?” Glorfindel mused to himself. Mentally he ran the list of the plants he had used through his mind. Any of them alone would not cause Erestor to sleep so much, but perhaps together they would? “I will take away some of the herbs you no longer need from the tea and we will see if that helps,” he said.

Erestor did not respond. He had fallen asleep again. 

Glorfindel lovingly moved his lips across Erestor’s brow before settling the sleeping elf comfortably into the bed and covering him with the blankets. There were dishes to wash and tomorrow’s meals to start preparing, but they could wait until the morning. Right now nothing was more important than holding Erestor and watching over his sleep, so he lay down and drew his beloved into his arms and did just that.

Tbc…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

It was indeed the combination of the herbs which consistently put Erestor to sleep. Within two more days, through trial and error, Glorfindel had sorted out the proper dose for Erestor’s tea and had silently sworn to pay more attention the next time Elrond expounded on the multifarious merits of medicinal herbs.

Erestor slowly gained his strength back, and after their breakfast on the eighth day of their forced confinement in the cabin, he was determined to get up and walk on his own. Glorfindel finally agreed, and it was a shaky counselor who rose from the bed on wobbly legs.

“Move slowly,” Glorfindel cautioned softly, helping Erestor up. “Just stand for a few moments first and let your body grow accustomed to it before you move.”

Reaching for Glorfindel’s arm when a wave of dizziness struck him, Erestor took a deep breath and stood still, waiting for the unsteadiness to pass. His head spun for a few moments, which set his insides churning. Closing his eyes, he held onto Glorfindel and groaned. “You were right,” he finally said as his stomach settled. “I moved too fast. Dizzy.” 

Glorfindel nodded and wrapped an arm around Erestor’s waist. “How does the leg feel?” He had changed the bandages daily; the wound was healing but would still be painful. 

“Sore, but I can walk,” Erestor replied, taking his first shaky step. His leg was stiff, the healing flesh and muscle hampering his movement and slowing him down, but he was upright and moving. They walked around the room slowly, and found that one turn was enough for the first time. “At least you will not have to carry me to the privy any longer,” Erestor said as they returned to the bed and he gingerly lowered himself to sit on the edge. “It will just take us a little longer to get there the first day or so.”

“I do not mind carrying you,” Glorfindel said softly, unwilling to admit that he would miss having Erestor in his arms. 

“I know you don’t,” Erestor said with a little smile, pulling Glorfindel down to sit beside him. His hands cupped the blond’s head and his thumb pads gently caressed soft cheeks. “I know you don’t,” he whispered again, leaning in to press his lips against Glorfindel’s. 

Glorfindel kissed him back, softly, reverently, and then held him close, tucking Erestor’s head under his chin and sighing contently. “Would you like to lie down again?” he asked. “Are you warm enough?”

“Not right now,” Erestor whispered, curling into Glorfindel’s warmth. “And yes, I am warm. You keep me warm and I am too comfortable to move.”

Content to simply hold the elf he loved, Glorfindel buried his face in the dark hair, breathing deeply the scent of lavender soap mixed with the heady, masculine scent that was Erestor’s alone. 

Erestor chuckled, feeling and hearing Glorfindel smelling his hair. He looked up with a smile. “Are you smelling me?” he asked playfully.

“Hmmm,” Glorfindel replied, inhaling deeply once again. “You smell nice. Lavender from the soap, and your special scent.”

“My special scent?” Erestor lifted his head to give the golden-haired Elf a quizzical look. “You have a special scent, but I never knew I did. What is it like?”

After thinking for a moment how best to describe it, Glorfindel said, “It is deep and musky, but fresh, like the woods after a rain. I find it very…” His voice trailed off into silence.

“What?”

“Arousing.”

The rarely unnerved Erestor was slightly taken off guard by Glorfindel’s candor. “You do?”

Glorfindel nodded. “What do I smell of?” His question was muffled against Erestor’s temple.

Erestor thought for a moment and said, “There is a sheltered pond in a little clearing, deep in the valley, fed by a small waterfall. The water tumbles down from a low height into a shimmering pool of pale green. Trees and plants surround it, and flowers grow with abandon. Birdsong fills the air.”

“I know this place,” Glorfindel said. “I have often gone there to restore my spirit.”

Erestor nodded. “It is a special place. You can smell the crisp purity of the water, like linens rippling in the breeze on the drying lines of a spring washing day. The flowers give off a sweet fragrance, and then there is the deep, rich, earthly smell of the trees, of the very earth itself. The scents combine, blend, filling the clearing with the most enchanting perfume that draws you, like a bee to the flower. It is the scent of life, of hope.”

“You describe it well,” Glorfindel whispered. 

“That is what you smell of to me,” Erestor said. He turned and wrapped his arms around Glorfindel’s neck, seating himself on the blond’s lap and wishing for his wound to be healed so he could wrap his legs around the strong body. “You call to me, draw me, and I can no more resist you than a bee can the flower.”

Erestor’s voice was deep and filled with passion, and as Glorfindel looked into the fathomless depths of twilight grey eyes, he thought his heart would break when he saw the stifled desire smoldering there. "Erestor," he whispered, but before he could speak further, Erestor's mouth was on his own, kissing him hungrily.

Devouring Glorfindel's mouth with a passion so intense that he wondered where it had been hiding, Erestor's hands curled in the golden hair, pulling Glorfindel closer as if he would melt into him. Finally forced to pull his mouth away to breathe, Erestor moaned, "I want...I need..."

Erestor’s words pierced his heart. "Tell me what you want," Glorfindel whispered shakily. Anything Erestor wanted would be his.

"Want...just you," Erestor said, the words spilling from his lips as they nuzzled Glorfindel's neck, gently nipping at the tender flesh. "Need you. Waited so long for you to love me."

Glorfindel’s long fingers stroked along Erestor’s neck. His broad hand caressed the much beloved face and his mouth gently closed over Erestor’s soft lips in a series of sweet kisses. 

Erestor’s toes curled and butterflies took flight in his stomach. Moving slowly, his mouth never leaving Glorfindel’s, he slid off of his lover’s lap and onto the bed, dragging the blond down with him. “Please,” he whispered pleadingly, pushing one of Glorfindel’s hands down to his groin. 

Glorfindel’s heart melted at Erestor’s pleading. He wanted… needed … this closeness as much as Erestor did, but the counselor was still weak and healing. It had been another lifetime, literally, for him, but he was sure he could take care of Erestor’s need, and his own, without causing his lover any further injury. His hand pressed into the ridge of Erestor’s erection and he squeezed it appreciatively. The sensation ran down his body with a zing. Glorfindel could feel the fiery hardness through the nightshirt, and he moaned as he leaned into Erestor, laving the soft, pale neck with his tongue. 

Wrapping his arms around Glorfindel, Erestor bucked into the hand that rubbed his swollen shaft and buried his head in the blond’s neck. “Please,” he moaned, not at all above begging for more. He was so hard it nearly hurt.

With one last squeeze to Erestor’s length, Glorfindel released it and rose to his knees, straddling his lover and gently pulling Erestor’s nightshirt up and over his head, tossing it aside. His own shirt quickly followed. With a modicum of movement, his leggings were gone, and he carefully rested his body atop Erestor, aligning their cocks and rubbing their groins together in a delicious friction. Pressing their lips together, he coaxed Erestor’s tongue into his mouth to wrap around his own and explore. 

Erestor moaned as Glorfindel released him, but his breath turned into pants as he realized what his lover was doing. When Glorfindel laid his muscular body atop him, Erestor buried his hands in the golden head of hair, alternatively caressing the back of Glorfindel’s neck and running his fingers along finely shaped ears. His heart pounded and it was hard to breathe but all he wanted was more. Love and lust and something he had never known before … passion … consumed him. With a moan, he answered Glorfindel’s kiss with one of his own, pressing their bodies closer, thrusting his erection into Glorfindel’s hand, and aligning their mouths to push his tongue deeply into his lover’s sweet mouth. 

So long denied, it was over in moments, but that was just fine with both of them. After all, they had days alone together to look forward to. Glorfindel drew the blanket over them as he settled in the bed alongside Erestor for a mid-morning nap.

 

~~~~*~~~~

“Erestor, you would try the patience of a Vala!” Glorfindel exclaimed. 

“Yes, I know,” Erestor said, unable to hide the grin on his lovely face. “That’s what Elrond constantly tells me too, right before he gives in to what I want.” A fortnight had passed since they'd arrived at the cabin, his leg was healing just fine, and...well...an elf had needs, didn’t he? 

Glorfindel glared.

Erestor smiled enchantingly. “Admit it. You want it too."

“I am admitting nothing. I would rather wait until we are back in Imladris and Elrond says you are fully healed. For the six-hundredth time, I will not risk hurting you!”

“You are not going to hurt me,” Erestor replied, his voice seductive. “Besides, I can see how aroused you are from here. You don’t need to admit anything to me, melmë.”

Glorfindel yanked a towel from the table and held it in front of himself. “Stop doing that thing with your voice, you spawn of Mordor,” he said, waving his hands to try and demonstrate the ‘thing’, and as a consequence, moving the towel and displaying again just how true Erestor’s words were. He sighed dramatically. “I'm only flesh and blood and there is only so much I can withstand.” At that moment, he dearly wished that Erestor’s wound hadn’t healed so well so he’d still be a bit more incapacitated. 

“Yes, I’m rather counting on that,” Erestor said under his breath, then hoped his mate didn’t hear it across the room where he stood. “Just give in to me, Glorfindel,” he pleaded gently. “We have already said the words and are bound to each other by all but the final deed. You know you want this as much as I do. Did you not promise to worship me with your body?” Erestor’s voice dripped with honey. The thin nightshirt he wore rolled up as he slid across the bed and displayed his tantalizing behind. 

“You will freeze to death like that,” Glorfindel snapped, quickly moving to the bed and drawing the blanket over Erestor’s bare bottom and legs.

Erestor pouted. “If you cover me, how can I tempt you?”

Glorfindel growled. 

Erestor shivered. “Oh, that’s so arousing. Come, do that again.” He motioned Glorfindel closer and patted the mattress. “Come growl in my ear.”

At that, Glorfindel looked at Erestor in shock before giving in with a laugh. “Oh, I do love you, Erestor. Why do I even try to resist you?” He slowly sat next to Erestor on the bed. “Very well, melmë, if you are sure.” He rolled onto the bed, pulling Erestor close. "I do want you as much as you want me. So just how do you intend for us to do the deed?”

“Well, I can’t very well bend my leg, as you know, so I hope you hadn’t been thinking of my taking you because that just is not going to happen right now and that only leaves…..”

Glorfindel silenced Erestor’s chatter with a deep kiss, accompanied by the removal of the bunched up nightshirt.

“Why do you still have clothes on?” Erestor murmured when he was finally released from the kiss to breathe. 

“A temporary condition, soon corrected,” Glorfindel replied, turning his words into action.

In the end, “the deed” was all that Erestor could have wished for and more. He was not prepared for the joy that filled his soul at their joining. His only regret was that because of his leg he could not face Glorfindel, and sweet kisses fell on the back of his neck instead of his mouth.

Soft cries of pleasure filled the room, and when they could no longer remain united, Glorfindel held Erestor in his arms and watched as he slept, gentle smiles on both of their faces.

 

~One week later~

Erestor and Glorfindel sat together at the table, enjoying their hot soup and griddlecakes. The storm had finally stopped two days before, and soon they would try to dig themselves and the horses out of the cabin. In the distance, they heard shouting and the jangling of horses' harnesses. 

They looked at each other, startled. The snow was piled high over the windows, so they had no way to look outside, and had no idea who it was that came.

"Erestor! Glorfindel! Are you in there?" 

"We're here, Elrond!" Glorfindel yelled, smiling at Erestor. 

"Oh, thank the Valar we found you. We'll have you dug out of there in no time," Elrond called back.

"Elrond, probably Elladan and Elrohir - they wouldn't let their father leave without them in this weather. I’m guessing about ten guards with them? They will be cold and hungry by the time they’re done,” Erestor observed. 

Glorfindel nodded and built up the fire. They had made a large pot of the rich soup that morning which would do nicely for their rescuers. While Erestor began tidying the cabin, Glorfindel prepared more griddlecakes. 

Erestor took their washing down and unfastened the rope before folding the clothing neatly and placing it in their packs. He set out more bowls and spoons, and then looked around the room sadly.

"What's wrong?" Glorfindel asked gently, seeing the look on Erestor’s face. “Are you not happy that we will be home soon?”

"I almost hate to leave this place." Erestor sighed deeply. "This has been a special time, being here with you. I cannot imagine a more perfect place for a wedding trip. Thank you for caring for me, for marrying me, for loving me," he said.

Glorfindel crossed the room and drew Erestor into his arms. “You make me so happy, Erestor,” he whispered.

“Do I?”

When Elrond and the twins burst through the door, they found Erestor and Glorfindel standing together, arms wrapped around each other tightly, sharing a deeply passionate kiss. 

Elrond cleared his throat, "Glorfindel? Erestor? Are we interrupting?"

The two lovers slowly ended the kiss, and smiled at each other. "Not at all, Elrond," Glorfindel said.

"Indeed not," Erestor replied. "Come and warm yourselves by the fire – all of you. We have hot soup for you. Glorfindel has proven to be a marvelous cook."

Elrond looked at his old friends, first one and then the other. His eyes sparkled and his lips slowly formed a broad smile. “You are bound,” he said quietly. “It’s about time, my friends. This is a most joyous day.”

Laughter warmed the room as Erestor and Glorfindel were crushed between the embraces of Elrond and his sons. 

A most joyous day, Erestor silently agreed. His eyes locked with Glorfindel’s for a moment and he smiled. A most joyous day indeed.

~the end


End file.
